Sealing device



Feb. 6, 1940. J. A. CERNY- SEALING DEVICE Filed Feb. 26, 1938 FIG. 1.

' INVENT OR.

' JOSEPH A. C'E'RNY ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 6, 1940 UNITED STATES 2.10am saanmc nnvrcn -Joseph A. Cerny, Cleveland, Ohio, alsignor to The Alpha Engineering Company, Inc., a corporation of Ohio Application February 26, 1938. Serial No. 192,836

' 1 Claim. (Cl. 286-11) My invention relates to sealing devices for' sealing the shaft opening ofa casing and more particularly for sealing the opening in the wall a of a casing through which a rotatable shaft extends.

An object of my invention is to provide a good hermetic connection between a rotatableshaft and a casing through a hole of which the rotatable shaft extends. w Another object is to provide a sealing device which maintains a good hermetic seal during rotation of a rotatable shaft extending from a casing.

Another object is to provide a sealing device for sealing the hole in a wall or casing through which a rotatable shaft extends, the sealing device being adapted to maintain a good seal even after wearing of the frictionally engaging parts. Another object is to provide a sealing device I which adapts itself to longitudinal movement of a rotatable shaft so as to maintain a constant hermetic connection therebetween.

Anotherobject is to-provide a sealing device which has a bearing ring adapted to continuously press against portions of the rotatable shaft so as to maintain a. good seal during any slight longitudinal movement of the shaft and maintain a good seal after wearing of the frictionally engaging parts.

Another object is to provide a good seal for a invention may be had by referring to the following description and claim taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, which:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view cut axially 50 through the preferred form of my sealing device showing the arrangement of parts around a shaft; Figure 2 is another cross-section view of a modified form of my sealing device; Figure 3 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of the device shown in Figure 2 with a dif- Other objects and a fuller understanding of my spectively.

ferent arrangementof parts to provide a resilient spring action;

Figure 4 is another cross-sectional view taken through another modifled form of my sealing device; and shows the device in relationship to a 6 shaft and the driving pulley mounted on. the shaft; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a device somewhat similar to that shown-in Figure 4 but with a diflerent arrangement of parts and in which the resilient action of a spring is provided.

The problem of providing an efflcient seal for a rotatable shaft extending through a hole of a casing so as to prevent leakage of fluid orgases around and out through the hole is well known to those working with the design and construction I of apparatus in which it is necessary to extend a rotatable shaft through the wall of a casing. For example, this problem is presented in the construction and operation of refrigerating apparatus, compressors, turbines, engines, and the like. Vibration of the parts and other outside influences causes some longitudinal movement of the rotatable shaft so as to hamper the maintenance of a good seal. As certain parts must frictionally engage by reason of the rotation of the shaft, there is a certain amount of wear and this wearing of v the parts also tends to break the desired seal. My invention has its parts so constructed and arranged that there is a continuous hermetic connection between my sealing device and the portion of the shaft upon which it bearsso that a hermetic connection is maintained even when there is longitudinal movement of the shaft due to vibration and even when the parts are some- 85 what worn. The device is adapted to compensate for such longitudinal movement or such wearing of the parts.

Referring toFigurel, there is a fragmentary showing of a plate or casing wall II which has a 40.

flange I2 secured thereto so as to encircle the hole extending through the casing wall II. As the flange wall is permanently secured to the casing wall II, the two parts may be spoken of together as the casing wall. The casing wall has a hole extending therethrough, through which hole the shaft I3 is extended. The ends of the shaft not shown are operatively connected to a driving mechanism and a driven mechanism, re-

3 60 The shaft I3 has an abutment portion I! which may be formed integrally therewith or may be a collar shrunk upon the shaft I3 so as to be tightly sealed thereon and to rotate with the shaft I3. There is a forward bearing face lfl'upon one from the forward face portion of the cup memside of the abutment portion II. This bearing face 13 is finely ground so as to present a smooth and perfectly level bearing face. The bearing face I8 is preferably made of a hard metal material adapted to resist wear.

The outer ball race i4 is secured to the flange II by being pressed therein or otherwise rigidly secured thereto. The inner ball race 15 is tightly secured to the shaft l3 by shrinking or otherwise forcing the race l5 securely to the shaft l3 so as to rotate therewith. The ball-bearings l6 are positioned between the race l4 and the race IS in the usual manner and provide a good bearing for the shaft l3. The fitting of the parts is such that gases or fluids may leak out around the-ball bearings l6 and so escape out from the casing. This is especially true in rayon silk machines in which oil may leak out through and around the ball bearings and escape into the flbers being produced and thus damaging.the fibers. The preferred form as shown in Figure l is especially adapted for preventing the leakage of oil or vapors out through the wall of a casing.

My device has a sealing ring l9 which is adapted to encircle the shaft l3 and to permit the rotation of the shaft l3 therethrough. The sealing ring I9 is somewhat tapered so that it has a bearing face 20 somewhat smaller than the body of the sealing ring- This bearing face 20 is finely ground and perfectly square so as to engage and hermetically connect with the abutment portion H of the shaft l3. The fitting of the bearing face 20 against the ground bearing face l8 of the abutment portion I1 is such that as the abutment portion vll rotates with the shaft l3, a good hermetic connection is maintained between the sealing ring l9 and the abutment portion II.

On the side of the sealing ring l9 opposite from the bearing space 20, there is a shoulder 2 I. The flexible wall member 22 is a metallic annular piece having a central opening through which the shaft 13 may extend. The inner edge portion surrounding this opening is somewhat crimped back so as to engage in the shoulder 2| of the sealing ring IS. The flexible wall member 22 is secured to the sealing ring I9 and hermetically connected thereto by solder or other suitable means. In this way the sealing ring I9 is carried by the flexible wall member 22 and moves with any movement of the inner edge portion of the wall member 22 through which it is attached. In speaking of the inner edge portion of the wall member 22, it is to be understood that this refers to the portion of the wall member 22 adjacent the edge of the opening extending through the wall member 22. In speaking of the outer edge wall portion 22, it is to be understood that this refers to the portion of the wall member 22 adjacent the outer periphery of the wall member 22. It is seen therefore that the outer edge portion is positioned somewhat radially outwardly from the inner edge portion.

To provide for a suitable mounting and connection .of the wall member 22 to the casing wall, I show in the form illustrated in Figure 1, the cup member 23 which has a flat face portion through which the opening 26 extends. The opening 26 is adapted to accommodate the shaft l3 and permit the rotation of the shaft I3 there-- through. The cup member 23 has side portions 24 extending substantially parallel to each other ber 23 as shown in Figure 1.

The outer edge portion of the wall member 22 is secured to and hermetically connected to the side portions 24 of the cup member 23 by soldering or other suitable means so as to provide a good seal between the wall member 22 and the side portions 24 of the cup. member 23.- The cup member 23 is adapted to be secured to the casin wall by having the side portions 24 driven or "pressed into the opening of the casing wall so that the side portions 24 are in tight engagement with, and hermetically connected with, the casing wall at the hole extending therethrough. It is therefore seen, as shown in Figure 1, that the cup member 23 is hermetically connected with the casing wall and that the wall member 22 is thereby hermetically connected to the casing wall.

In this manner fluids or gases are prevented from escaping around the periphery of the wall member 22 and the opening through the casing wall is effectively closed and sealed.

The wall member 22 is constructed of a thin metal disc and has its diameter shrunk so as to bulge out the portions intermediate of the outer edge portions. This bulging out of the wall member 22 is illustrated in the views of the drawing. The disc distorted by the compression of its diameter is therefore so bulged as to have the outer edge portions disposed in a different radial plane than the radial planes in which the intermediate portions are disposed. In the view of Figure 1, the wall member is bulged so as to be inclined, from the outer edge portions to the inner edge portions. In the other views the bulge is such as to be slopingly curved from the outer edge portions to the inner edge portions.

The nature of the construction and material of shaft l3 while the position of the outer edge portions remains the same. The flexibility and resiliency thus provided tends to hold the sealing ring l9 secured to the inner edge portions against the abutment portion IT to maintain a continuous hermetic connection betweenthe bearing face l8 and the bearing face 20.

The wall member 22 may be given a suffioient amount of resiliency so that the sealing ring I!) is continually urged against "the abutment portion l'l. However, it may be advisable to supply auxiliary resilient means to aid in the urging of the sealing ring l9 against the abutment portion l'l. It may also be arranged that the wall member 22 will not have sufficient resiliency to permit all of the desired movement of the sealing ring l9 as may be required. A coil spring 25 is therefore provided in the modification in the preferred form as shown in Figure 1 which is adapted to press against the sealing ring l9 so as to urge it away from the flat face portion of the cup member 23. The resiliency of the coil spring 25 encircled around the shaft l3 within the cup member 23 is such that it has one end pressing against the inner side of the flat forward of the sealing ring l9 against the abutment portion I! so as to maintain a good hermetic connection after wearing of these parts.

In Figure 2, I show a somewhat modified form of my sealing device. In the arrangement shown, the inner ball race for the ball bearings I9 is formed so as to have a'perfectly flat ground surface 29 and by reason of this distinction, the inner ball race is denoted by the reference character 21. The sealing ring I9 in the arrangement shown in Figure 2 bears against the inner ball race 21 against the surface 28 of the ball race 21. In this form of my sealing device, the abutment portion l1 isnot utilized and the inner ball race 21 is used in its stead, but in the claim, it may also be referred to as an abutment portion or as part of the shaft.

In the modification shown in Figure 2, the casing wall has a different flange portion which flange portion is denoted by the reference character 29. A shaft l9 extends through a hole in the flange portion 29 of the casing wall. The outer ball race I4 is secured by pressing or other suitable means so as to rigidly secure it to the flange portion 29.

The outer edge portion of the flexible wall member 22 is secured to, and hermetically connected to, an annular member 99 by solder or other suitable metallic adhesion means so as to provide a good seal between the outer edge portion of the wall member 22 and the annular member 99. The annular member 99 is securely mounted to the flange portion 29 by means of a number of screw bolts 3|. The washer element 32 placed between the annular member 99 and the flange portion 29 seals the connection between the annular member 90 and the flange portion 29 so as to provide a good seal. In this manner, the outer edge portion of the wall member 22 is mounted to, and hermetically connected to, the flange portion 29 of the casing wall. In the form shown in Figure 2, a coil spring is not utilized, as the wall member 22 is given such resiliency as required to urge the sealing ring I9 towards the inner ball race 21 thus maintaining a good hermetic connection therebetween. The resilient flexing action of the wall member 22 and the arrangement of the parts is such that the sealing ring l9 follows any slight axial movement of the shaft l9 and also adapts itself to any wear occurring by reason of the frictional engagement of the sealing ring I9 and the inner ball race 21.

In Figure 3, I illustrate a portion of the form shown in Figure 2 but have added thereto auxiliary resilient means adapted to press against the sealing ring I9. The. coil spring 25 encircling the shaft I3 is added to afford an auxiliary re-' silient action against the sealing ring I9. A saucer plate 33 is provided to aflord a backin against which the coil spring 25 is based so that one end of the coil spring 25 presses against the saucer plate member 33 and the other end of the coil spring 25 effectively presses against the sealing ring I9. The saucer plate member 99 is secured to the flange portion 29 by means of the screw bolts 3| utilized for mounting .the annular member 99 to the flange portion 29.

Figure 4 illustrates another modifled form of my sealing device and in this arrangement of parts, the shaft I9 has an abutment portion 99 rigidly secured to the'shaft l9 by the nut 91 threaclably secured to the threaded portion 99 of the shaft -I9. The driving pulley 99 is shown as secured to the one end of the shaft l9 by suitable means. There is a washer element 99 provided between the abutment portion 99 and the shaft l9 so as to make a good seal therebetween.

In order to provide a good hermetic connection with the abutment portion 99, which is arranged in a difierent relative position from that of the abutment portion ll shown in Figure 1.-

wall member 99 is extended somewhat radially outward as shown in Figure 4 and has a circumferential rim or wave bent therein so that the screw bolts 3| tightened down thereon securely engage the outer edge portion of the wall member 99 to the flange portion 29 and with the aid of the washer element 92 forms a good hermetic connection between the wall member 99 and the flange portion 29 of thecasing wall. The wall member 39 has the same resilient flexibility as the wall member 22 and is adapted to press the sealing ring 19 tightly against and in good hermetic connection with, the abutment portion 99. In the form shown in Figure 4, the wall member has resiliency suflicient to keep the sealing ring I9 in close engagement with the abutment portion 99 and the requirements of the particular use to which itis put does not require auxiliary resilient means.

In Figure 5,.however, I show auxiliary rethe sealing ring I9 against the abutment portion 1 39 and in other requirements, the use of the coil spring II is desirable so as to give a more urgent pressing action. It is, of course, obvious that the coil spring utilized may press against the inner edge portion of the wall member or directly against the sealing ring, but as these two are directly connected together, the action is the same and it may be said in either arrangement, that the coil spring presses against the sealing ring. I I

Although Ihave described my invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim as my invention: i

A' unitary cartridge sealing device for sealing a hole in a casing having a shaft therein, said shaft having an abutment portion thereon, comprising, in combination, a stamped metal cuppedshaped housing adapted for hermetic and press flt into the hole and provided with a peripheral shoulder portion to limit the insertion of the housing into the hole, a relatively large flexible dlsk-like member having a central opening through which the shaft may extend and havingits outer peripheral edge portion provided with a cylindrical flange telescoping with and hermetically connected toithe housing at the open end thereof by metallic adhesion means, a sealing ring carried by the inner peripheral edge of the disk-like member and adapted to hermetically engage the abutment on the shaft, and resilient means mounted in the housing for urging the sealing ring axially of the shaft against the abutment, the disk-like member being free for flexing throughout its entire radial extent to provide for a relatively large axial movement of the sealing ring without undue strain in the disk -like member.

JOSEPH A. CERNY. 

